No More R&Pee?: RCA/Sony Reportedly Puts New R. Kelly Music On Hold

The fallout from 'Surviving R. Kelly' and the criminal investigations it sparked seems to be the reason for the freeze.

With the loss of support from past collaborators in the wake of the Lifetime docu-series, Surviving R. Kelly, the R&B singer is now potentially without a record label to push new music. According to sources, RCA/Sony is putting new music from R. Kelly on hold while pending criminal investigations are looming.

Sources familiar with R. Kelly’s contract and dealings with RCA/Sony tell us … the label will not produce any of the singer’s new music, it will not put money behind any of his projects, and it will not release any additional music until the criminal investigations in Georgia and Atlanta and other fallout resolve one way or the other.

We’re told R. Kelly is pissed because he’s been in the studio recording new music to fulfill the obligations under his RCA contract … which requires 2 new albums.

RCA/Sony is in a tough spot — they can read the tea leaves and know they will have hell to pay in terms of PR if they release R. Kelly’s songs in the wake of the growing #muteRkelly movement.

On the other hand, the label has a deal with R. Kelly, and if they formally walk away from him now without any criminal charges to justify ending the contract … they could be sued. We don’t know if there’s a “morals clause” in R. Kelly’s contract … which would allow the label to give him the boot for crossing the line.

The outlet adds that Kelly has been continually dropping new music via the streaming service Soundcloud, a far distance from the big budget marketing rollouts he would enjoy under his recording contract.